Unusual corporate gifts have benefitted animals at Jersey’s Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Investec Trust, with offices in both Jersey and Guernsey, decided to donate money to the trust rather then give corporate gifts to guests and speakers at a dinner debate held in London last week.
The firm felt it was in-keeping with the theme of the event, which debated the topic: ‘Are Trusts an Endangered Species?’
Speaker Richard Pease of Lenz & Staehelin, who argued trusts are not endangered, was given an adopted gentle lemur. Tom Dumont of Radcliffe Chambers, who argued against him, was given a meerkat.
Mr Pease intends to visit his lemur in November.
At the debate it was decided almost unanimously that trusts are not threatened by extinction but that their use was constantly evolving and trust practitioners would have to work smarter and more innovatively to keep up to date and serve their clients effectively.
Investec Trust (Jersey) Limited managing director, Mike Spittal, said: ‘The debate went very well. Both speakers tackled the subject with interest, keeping the audience thoroughly engaged and amused. I hadn’t previously seen the connection between a trust and a titanium chastity belt!
‘I’m very pleased Tom and Richard were happy with their gift and I will look forward to joining Richard when he visits his lemur in November. I am glad that neither the animals nor trusts look likely to become extinct any time soon!’
